babylon the great

Question 1

form

Answer 1

14 line allegorical sonnet

petrachan sonnet rhyme scheme(ironic)

first half is an octave second half is a sestet (typical of petrachan sonnet)

Question 2

meter

Answer 2

iambic pentameter

Question 3

why is the use of the petrachan sonnet ironic

Answer 3

as usually used for love poems but this poem warns against the evils of love and temptation

Question 4

title significance

Answer 4

refers to a ‘great prostitute’ named babylon the great from the book of revelation

in the bible babylon represents false identity and allure of indlugence in riches and worldly pleasures

Question 5

what is the repetitive use of red imagrey called

Answer 5

a lexical field

Question 6

what does ‘cup’ represent

Answer 6

the soul

Question 7

significance of imagrey of hair

Answer 7

symbol of promiscuity in victorian society (women must have their hair up)

depicted in pre raphelite movement by dante gabriel in images portraying sexuality: ‘lady lilith’ and ‘woman combing her hair’

Question 8

what does city of babylon itself represent and where is it mentioned

Answer 8

the old testement depicts fall of babylon

babylon represents greed and arrogance of human kind

Question 9

why is rossettis experience at highgate relevant

Answer 9

would have worked with many protitutes and fallen women